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National Security boss speaks on botched operations in Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election

National Security boss speaks on botched operations in Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election

Source: Ghana | Myjoyonline | Zaina Adamu | Twitter: @ZainaAdamu

Date: 02-02-2019 Time: 03:02:41:pm

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Ghana’s National Security plays a critical role in the livelihood of the nation, specifically securing Ghanaians from various threats both domestically and abroad. Election season is no different. In fact, the agency’s awareness only heightens, explained Bryan Acheampong, the Minister of State in charge of National Security.

Acheampong told Joy News’ Newsfile host Samson Lardy on Saturday that the National Security Task Force (comprised of police, military officers and security personnel) is typically deployed to each presidential and parliamentary candidate’s home leading up to elections.

“It is standard protocol to do this so that we can protect every candidate,” he said.

He continued: “In admission to that, we also receive intelligence information and we track, trace and neutralize where needed, but I am not comfortable sharing that information on air.”

However, he did not know that just hours into the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election Thursday, dozens of armed men wearing black masks and “NSC” shirts would rampage the home of NDC’s National Chairman, Delali Brempong.

He cleared rumours surrounding the number of arrests made when the attackers were captured.

“We arrested nine people in the house,” adding that of the nine, six were injured because they resisted arrest. All injuries were minor and all of those wounded were given medical treatment, he said.

He also pleaded with Ghanaians to resist from making false claims about the National Security's role in the attacks.

“I am not too sure why the [National Security personnel] who went there to help are being blamed,” he said. “If they misconducted themselves then we would deal with them, but the ones who went there for the public good deserve commendation.”

Acheampong assures the public that his team is “actively engaged” in unravelling what materialized Thursday, and has vowed to release any information related to the attacks when it becomes available.

He ended by giving one piece of advice.

Don’t believe everything you read about National Security on Facebook and Twitter, he recommended. Most of it “is being cooked up by social media activists.”